Sen. Steve Drazkowski went on Fox News to call out what he rightly labeled “institutional corruption” in Minnesota after a Border Patrol-involved shooting sparked mass unlawful assembly in Minneapolis, and he did not mince words about who is to blame. His message was simple but damning: political leaders who hinder law enforcement are putting citizens at risk and inviting chaos.
This crisis came after U.S. Border Patrol officers fatally shot a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, an explosive incident that followed other recent federal enforcement actions in the city and set off widespread protests and unrest. The facts on the ground show a city in turmoil as federal agents carry out targeted operations and local leaders respond with condemnation rather than cooperation.
Protesters turned to street confrontations and what authorities characterized as unlawful assemblies, forcing federal officers to use less-lethal measures and prompting arrests as demonstrations grew volatile. Border Patrol commanders publicly defended their operations and even accused some local officials of collusion with radical agitators—an allegation that should alarm every law-abiding Minnesotan.
Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have taken the dramatic step of issuing grand jury subpoenas to Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other officials to investigate whether state and local actors impeded immigration enforcement. That escalation shows this is not merely about heated rhetoric; it’s about whether state leaders illegally obstructed federal law enforcement, and it demands answers.
Conservatives watching this unfold cannot be silent while local officials play politics with public safety. When governors and mayors prioritize virtue signaling over securing neighborhoods, they betray the people who elected them and embolden those who would undermine law and order. Drazkowski’s charge of institutional rot isn’t mere bluster—it’s a warning that voters must take seriously.
The remedy is straightforward and patriotic: full transparency, swift independent investigations, and accountability for anyone who obstructed lawful operations or encouraged mobs in our streets. We owe Border Patrol and local police cooperation, not attack ads and ambivalence; when officers are forced to work in hostile, politicized conditions, dangerous gaps open that criminals exploit.
Hardworking Minnesotans deserve leaders who defend safety, not excuses that endanger communities. Now is the time for voters to demand competency and courage from Walz, Frey and others—hold them to account at the ballot box and insist on real results, not theatrics. If patriots want a safer future for their families, they must turn outrage into votes and make sure politicians learn that public safety is not negotiable.
